< Esther 7 >

1 So the King and Haman came to banket with the Queene Ester.
So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen.
2 And the King said againe vnto Ester on the second day at the banket of wine, What is thy petition, Queene Ester, that it may be giue thee? and what is thy request? It shalbe euen perfourmed vnto the halfe of the kingdome.
And the king said to her again the second day, after he was warm with wine: What is thy petition, Esther, that it may be granted thee? and what wilt thou have done: although thou ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.
3 And Ester the Queene answered, and said, If I haue found fauour in thy sight, O King, and if it please the King, let my life be giuen me at my petition, and my people at my request.
Then she answered: If I have found Favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please thee, give me my life for which I ask, and my people for which I request.
4 For we are solde, I, and my people, to be destroyed, to be slayne and to perish: but if we were solde for seruants, and for handmaides, I woulde haue helde my tongue: although the aduersarie could not recompense the Kings losse.
For we are given up, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen: the evil might be borne with, and I would have mourned in silence: but now we have an enemy, whose cruelty redoundeth upon the king.
5 Then King Ahashuerosh answered, and said vnto the Queene Ester, Who is he? and where is he that presumeth to doe thus?
And king Assuerus answered and said: Who is this, and of what power, that he should do these things?
6 And Ester said, The aduersarie and enemie is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afrayde before the King and the Queene.
And Esther said: It is this Aman that is our adversary and most wicked enemy. Aman hearing this was forthwith astonished, not being able to bear the countenance of the king and of the queen.
7 And the King arose from ye banket of wine in his wrath, and went into the palace garden: but Haman stood vp, to make request for his life to the Queene Ester: for he sawe that there was a mischiefe prepared for him of the King.
But the king being angry rose up, and went from the place of the banquet into the garden set with trees. Aman also rose up to entreat Esther the queen for his life, for he understood that evil was prepared for him by the king.
8 And when the King came againe out of the palace garden, into the house where they dranke wine, Haman was fallen vpon the bed whereon Ester sate! therefore the King sayd, Will he force the Queene also before me in the house? As the worde went out of the Kings mouth, they couered Hamans face.
And when the king came back out of the garden set with trees, and entered into the place of the banquet, he found Aman was fallen upon the bed on which Esther lay, and he said: He will force the queen also in my presence, in my own house. The word was not yet gone out of the king’s mouth, and immediately they covered his face.
9 And Harbonah one of the eunuches, sayde in the presence of the King, Beholde, there standeth yet the tree in Hamans house fiftie cubites hie, which Haman had prepared for Mordecai, that spake good for the King. Then the King sayd, Hang him thereon.
And Harbona, one of the eunuchs that stood waiting on the king, said: Behold the gibbet which he hath prepared for Mardochai, who spoke for the king, standeth in Aman’s house, being fifty cubits high. And the king said to him: Hang him upon it.
10 So they hanged Haman on the tree, that he had prepared for Mordecai: then was the Kings wrath pacified.
So Aman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king’s wrath ceased.

< Esther 7 >